CAF Announces Major Increase in AFCON 2025 Prize Money

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has significantly increased the prize money for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations champions, part of wider changes unveiled ahead of the tournament in Morocco. CAF’s Executive Committee announced that the winning team will receive USD 10 million, up from USD 7 million at the 2023 edition — a 43 % increase in the top prize.

The boost reflects CAF’s ongoing efforts to enhance the commercial value and competitiveness of Africa’s premier football competition. The runners-up will take home USD 4 million, while each of the two semi-finalists will receive USD 2.5 million.

CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe announced the changes at an executive meeting in Rabat, highlighting the organisation’s commitment to increasing rewards as part of “the most exciting new structure for African football.”

Editorial

In the global tapestry of football, prize money is more than just an incentive it is a symbol of prestige, value and political will. CAF’s decision to elevate the AFCON 2025 winners’ purse to USD 10 million is not merely an arithmetic adjustment; it is an institutional statement that Africa’s flagship competition deserves recognition on par with its significance in the hearts of millions.

To appreciate this shift, consider the trajectory four years ago, AFCON winners received under USD 5 million by 2023 that had risen to USD 7 million, and now the figure stretches to USD 10 million. That is not incremental tinkering it is an acceleration of financial dignity, one that acknowledges the commercial potential of African football and the talent pool that the continent proudly exports to the world’s elite leagues.

But beyond headline figures lie deeper implications. This increase resonates with national federations and players alike, offering not just enhanced remuneration but a tangible return on the long hours, the collective national investment, and the emotional labour that AFCON demands. For many associations, prize money supports youth development, coaching programmes, and the logistical bedrock of sustaining competitive national squads. When CAF increases the stakes, it strengthens that foundation.

There is a cultural dimension too. African football is woven into the social fabric in a way that few tournaments can rival AFCON is watched with the intensity of a shared national heartbeat. When the champion’s reward reflects that cultural weight, it affirms football as Africa’s own a story shaped and celebrated from Rabat to Lagos, from Dakar to Cairo.

Yet this is not the final chapter. With CAF also restructuring the competition calendar including a planned shift to a four-year cycle  the prize money is likely a first beat in a broader rhythm of elevation. What matters most now is that this isn’t symbolic alone it’s strategic. African football has long supplied the world with talent and spectacle. It now deserves a competition structure and rewards that reflect that contribution in full measure.

Did You Know?

1. Biggest Single Jump The jump from USD 7 million to USD 10 million represents the largest single increase in AFCON’s winners’ prize in the tournament’s history.
2. Prize History At the 2021 AFCON, the champions were awarded only USD 5 million, far less than the current figure.
3. Total Prize Pool Growth The total prize distribution across all teams in AFCON 2025 is among the largest in the competition’s history, reflecting CAF’s expanded investment strategy.
4. Unchanged Runners-Up Pay While the winners’ prize was boosted, the USD 4 million runners-up reward and USD 2.5 million for each semi-finalist remain the same as in 2023.
5. CAF’s Financial Turnaround CAF announced a return to profitability in 2025, with prize money and organisational investment forming a key part of its growth strategy under President Patrice Motsepe.